Secrets of the Dead

Part detective story, part true-life drama, this series unearths evidence from around the world, challenging prevailing ideas and throwing fresh light on unexplained events. Using the most up-to-date science in the laboratory and in the field, scientists and researchers examine the missing pieces of each puzzle, completing the picture of what had been merely an assemblage of suppositions.

Upcoming Broadcasts:

This film examines a world wonder so elusive, most people have decided it must be mythical. Centuries of digging have turned up nothing. But they were digging in the wrong place. Now, this film proves the spectacular Hanging Gardens of Babylon did exist, shows us where they were, what they looked like and how they were constructed.

This program is a modern day quest to find the truth behind one of exploration's greatest mysteries: what happened to famed adventurer Col. Percy Fawcett, who went looking for a city of gold -- the Lost City of "Z" -- in the Amazon in 1925 and disappeared in the jungles of Brazil forever? New archaeological digs, the science behind the discovery of "newly found" jungle cities and clues collected over the years reveal the fate of Fawcett. The program unravels the truth of what really happened to Fawcett and shares surprising finds that are causing experts to re-think the image of a pristine uninhabited Amazon rainforest: a place that before Columbus, may have had large populations living in sophisticated towns and cities. Fawcett may have actually discovered these ruins fueling his fervor to find the city of gold. Cutting between stylized dramatic Fawcett recreations, old films and archival photos, interviews with family members of Fawcett, jungle villagers and scientists at ancient Indian archaeological sites -- the truth about Fawcett and new understandings of life in pre-Columbian America emerge. Trekking along the paths that Fawcett followed, the search for clues ends at a Xinguano-Kuikuro village in the heart of the Mato Grosso: where a new archaeological discovery may reveal the true location of the Lost City of Z.

Upcoming Broadcasts:

The World's Biggest Bomb (#1104H)
Duration: 54:36
STEREO TVPG

Beginning in the 1950s, American and Soviet scientists engaged in a dangerous race to see who could build and detonate the world's largest bomb. The results exceeded all expectations about how big a bomb could be built. This is a story where the United States led the way, but then left the field clear for the Soviet Union to break all records. Terrifyingly, the bomb-makers on both sides were flying blind as they pushed the technology far into unknown territory. The story of the race to build the world's biggest bomb has never been fully told. But this 50-year anniversary provides the perfect opportunity share this chilling story with the world.

The extraordinary story of China's 8000 terracotta warriors begins two centuries before the birth of Christ. The First Emperor of China was preparing an extravagant tomb for his journey into the afterlife - and decreed that he be protected forever by a monumental army. Since then no one has seen these ancient warriors in their original splendor, brightly painted and fully armed, ready to protect their Emperor for all eternity. Now this once mighty army will be returned to its former glory for the first time. Row upon row of life-size, lavishly painted warriors will rise from the dust of two millennia. < br />But how was a terracotta army of this size made in less than two years using the technology of 2200 years ago? Led by archaeologist Agnes Hsu, the investigation shows that the Chinese may have Henry Ford beat by more than 2000 years with their own assembly line used to produce the 8000-strong terracotta army. After the revelation of what the army really looked like when it was buried, biometric analysis to find out if these clay soldiers were individually modeled on living men. The tantalizing possibility is that the warriors are the actual representations of the warriors who served the Emperor in life and then became part of his Spirit Army.

TV Technical Issues

TV Technical Issues

We are aware that Comcast/Xfinity is currently not transmitting KQED Plus in HD on channel 710. KQED Plus is airing in SD
on channel 10. Comcast is also aware of the issue, and working on fixing it. Thank you for your patience.

We are aware that Comcast/Xfinity is currently not transmitting KQED Plus on channel 10, KQED V-Me on channel 191, or KQED
Kids on channel 192. Comcast is also aware of the issue, and working on fixing it. Thank you for your patience.

(includes all DT9, DT54 and DT25 channels, along with most paid signal providers) We will be doing maintenance work in our
Master Control area during the overnight hours of late Tues/early Wed 1/14. Work will begin shortly after midnight early Wednesday,
and should be done in 2-3 hours, perhaps sooner. This will result in all […]